New England and Codfish go way back. In fact, every cuisine in New England begins with good seafood, and codfish is always on top of it. With centuries of aquatic traditions behind it, New England is also the land of origin of the famous codfish cakes. Thanks to them, the rest of the world also enjoys this crispy, flaky and healthy cuisine.
Health Benefits
Cod is an extremely good source of protein, phosphorus and niacin, along with various vitamins. It is also very low on calories and fats. When paired with healthy ingredients, it is extremely good for maintaining a balanced diet.
Ingredients
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1⁄4 tsp black pepper (freshly grounded)
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves (finely chopped)
½ tsp or to taste Tabasco sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ¼ lbs fresh cod (bones removed)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1⁄3 cup dry breadcrumb
1 lemon
How To Make Codfish Cakes
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and add chopped onions, ½ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 tsp of pepper.
- Stir the onions in salt and pepper for 5 minutes or until they are translucent in color. When done, remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Cut the cod into large chunks, and add the chunks in a food processor. Pulse it until the fish is coarsely chopped.
- In a medium sized bowl, add chopped cod, fried onions, tarragon, Tabasco, and egg. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper on top and mix until everything is well combined.
- Using slightly wet hands, make 3-inches thick patties.
- In a bowl, pour breadcrumbs and dip a patty in it until it is properly coated. Repeat the process with all patties. Shake off excess breadcrumbs and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive in a skillet.
- Place as many patties as the skillet can accommodate at once, and cook both sides on low flame for 4-5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Repeat the process until all the patties are cooked.
- Transfer the cods to a serving dish and squeeze lemon over them directly.
- Serve straight away with your favorite vegetables or a tartar sauce.
Trivia:
- Codfish fishcakes became famous in New England, but China has been enjoying fishcakes for more than 4000 years.
- Fishcake was actually discovered by a Chinese emperor called Shun, when he was in search of a solution for his wives’ bad appetites.